


Blow Your Mind- Roxas And Ventus Week 2020

by sassycatto



Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: Can be read as just friendship stuff but it’s obviously romantic lmao, Furbies, M/M, Mutual Crushes, Sick Fic, Skateboarding, Snuggling, Sora is only mentioned, Yes Sora is missing, feel free to read as xion x roxas x ven, tense change in chapter five for.... reasons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:20:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26805022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sassycatto/pseuds/sassycatto
Summary: A collection of loosely related oneshots based on the #roxandvenweek prompts!
Relationships: Roxas & Ventus (Kingdom Hearts), Roxas/Ventus (Kingdom Hearts)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 22





	1. Mirror Image- Day One

It was very much like looking in a mirror, Roxas had always thought.

But right now, looking at Ventus smile wide with eyes twinkling and cheeks flushed, Roxas could only think:

_ Mirror images don’t smile that bright. _

Roxas stood in shock a moment, watching as his doppelgänger chuckled. The older blonde closed his eyes, head falling back as his bell-like laughter rang out, and Roxas could only notice how  _ young _ Ventus looked when he laughed, how his cheeks seemed so pink and made his freckles pop, how Ven’s shoulders shook gently with each breath, and how Ventus sounded so… so  _ free _ . For a split second, Twilight Town around them seemed like a distant dream-

“I’m okay-!” Lea shouted, and the dream shattered; suddenly Roxas was back in the skate park, watching Lea sit up and dust off his pant legs.

“So, was  _ that  _ the awesome trick we were supposed to get memorized~?” Ventus asked, smirking wide. “I mean, seeing you land on your butt is pretty unforgettable….”

“Can it, sleepy-head,” Lea moaned. “Light, ow, my ass… Xion! Mind grabbing my board for me?”

As Xion went to Lea’s aid, grabbing his skateboard and helping him to his feet, Ventus let out another chuckle. Roxas looked back at him curiously, a tiny part of him hoping to see that smile again.  _ Wait, what-? _

“Aww, poor Lea. He looks so embarrassed, I feel bad for laughing…” Ventus said, but it was obvious that he, in fact, did not feel bad enough for laughing at Lea’s blunder to stop, Roxas watched as Ventus kept giggling that light laugh of his, smiling with enough warmth to rival the setting sun….

“Hey, you think you can do better, little man?” Lea barked out, though it was clear by the grin on his face that he wasn’t offended in the slightest. “C’mon Ven, can’t laugh at me for falling on my butt when you’ve never been on a board before.”

Lea did have a point. Ventus’s desire to come to the skatepark today was all because he’d never seen a skateboard before. Or at least, not in real life. Ven’s Keyblade Glider  _ was _ similar in size, but seeing as it  _ fucking floated,  _ it was definitely different enough from a skateboard to pique Ven’s interest in the hobby. However….

“Skateboarding? Psh, after seeing you do it, I bet it’s easy,” Ventus said with a smirk,his voice having a tinge of arrogance that Roxas didn’t often hear from his look-alike. “I bet it’s easier than riding my Glider.  _ I _ could do one of those fancy flipping kicks in my sleep.”

“ _ Kickflip _ ,” Lea corrected. “And I’d  _ love  _ to see you try, blondie.”

. . . Light, Roxas knew where this was going. He let out small sigh, rolling his eyes and shaking his head gently.

“You two are gonna do it again, aren’t you…?”

“What? Do what again?” Ventus asked, looking to Roxas with his brows furrowed.

“ _ Compete _ ,” Roxas said exasperatedly, “Just like the ice cream eating competition.  You guys really went ham on that.”

Ventus shuddered at the memory. 

“Ugh, I never wanna eat Seasalt  _ again _ . It’s such a gross flavor….”

“First off, blasphemy,” Roxas stated. “Secondly, if it wasn’t for you and Lea always trying to make things a race, neither of you would’ve ended up with brain freeze. And lastly, your track record isn’t good,  _ neither of you _ . Every time you guys try to one up each other, you end up failing and looking like tools.”

For a second, Ven’s face fell, and Roxas felt a twinge if guilt. Shit, he hadn’t actually offended Ven, had he? Luckily, it wasn’t long before Ventus flashed him a cocky grin.

“You just haven’t seen what I’m capable of yet,” Ventus said. “I can learn stuff, quick! Besides, it’s just a plank with wheels. How hard could it be?”

“...Just don’t say I didn’t warn you when you fall on your ass and make yourself look like an idiot,” Roxas teased.

With that, Ventus smirked and stood. Roxas handed Ventus his board, earning him a smile from the older boy. In a flash, Ventus was at the top of the small Skate Bowl, putting on a helmet and knee pads. Lea stood next to him, a look on his face that simultaneously read “wow I can wait for Ventus to fall on his ass and look like a dork” and “fuck if Ven gets hurt Terra and Aqua are going to kill me” as he helped adjust Ven’s helmet. Roxas almost laughed out loud, but managed to hold himself back and It wasn’t long before Ventus was setting down the skateboard and placing his foot on it, eager to begin. 

“Now hold on, kid,” Lea murmured. “You want to put your foot  _ here _ .”

Ventus scoffed. “Ooh, so  _ I’m  _ supposed to listen to the man who fell on his ass.” He grinned playfully, shifting his feet on the board as he quickly obeyed Lea’s instruction. 

“Hey! Language,” Lea teased back. “If I send you home to Terra and Aqua and you’re speaking like a little punk, they’ll have my head on a pike by sunrise….”

“Aww, c’mon, I’m practically an adult. I can swear!” Ventus piped up. As if to prove his maturity, Ventus straightened up and went to put both feet on the board. However, Ventus misplaced his other foot and almost tripped. With a yelp of  “Fudge!” , Ventus stumbled into Lea’s open arms. Roxas caught the embarrassed blush spreading across his doppelgänger’s nose, trying to ignore that split second where his own heart leapt.

. . .Why did seeing Ven so flushed always make Roxas’s heart pace? Was it because of their connection, or something else?

“Heh, I’ve gotcha,” Lea chuckled, helping Ventus back into the board. “Nooow you get that it’s not as easy as it looks, huh?”

Ven’s response was a little bashful mumble. He turned his attention back to getting on his board, listening as Lea went over some instructions. Roxas sighed, his heart fluttering a bit in his chest. He turned, just in time to see a familiar mess of black hair under a purple helmet.

“You can do it, Ven!” Xion shouted as she came into view. She held her own board underneath her arm (-- a brilliant mess of blue, yellow, and white on the bottom that Naminé had painted earlier --)as she jogged her way to where Roxas was sitting. She sat down next to him, panting slightly.

“Just watch,” Roxas said, a trading tone to his voice. “Ventus is gonna fall before he reaches the bottom. He’s gonna look like a bigger dork than Lea.”

...Ugh, why… why did Roxas feel a little bad for saying that?

“...You look worried,” Xion said, taking Roxas by surprise.

“What? No I’m not.”

“Yeah, you are. You’re doing that thing again.”

“What thing…?”

“Rubbings your thumbs, pouting…” Xion said, tilting her head. “And your eyebrows look like this!”

Xion gave an exaggerated pout, forcing her eyebrows down. Roxas laughed.

“Oh, cut it out, Xion! I don’t- I don’t look like that!” Roxas said, then faltered for a second. “...Right?”

“You sure do,” Xion said with a smirk. 

Roxas’s only response was a small grumble. However, Xion had more to say.

“...You kinda make that face around Ven a lot.”

“...I do?”

“Yeah,” Xion answered. “It’s funny, actually. When you’re around Ventus, you’re always… glancing at him. And whenever he does something dumb you get that worried little scowl. It’s cute, I think!”

“Cute-?”

“Mmhmm. The way you worry about him all the time,” Xion answered. 

“What? I-I don’t….”

Yet Roxas’s tone was unsure. He glanced away from Xion and looked at his hands. She had been right about him twiddling them together, rubbing his thumbs. Huh. Was he really… that worried?

“There’s nothing wrong with being worried about Ventus!” Xion said gently. “It just shows how good a person you are, worrying about others!”

Xion smiled warmly before turning her attention back to Lea and Ventus. Her words stuck with Roxas, though. Worried…. Maybe he  _ was  _ worried. Worried that Ventus would get hurt? Well, why  _ shouldn’t  _ he be? Roxas didn’t want to see anyone get hurt. It was right for him to be worried! Maybe Roxas just didn’t want to see someone fall right in front of him- though he’d just seen Lea crash to the ground and he hadn’t felt  _ this _ . Maybe… maybe he just didn’t want to watch a  _ newbie _ fail. Or maybe Roxas didn’t want to watch someone his age wipeout, or  _ something _ .

Okay. Roxas was worried. Roxas was  _ always _ worried. Worried about people getting hurt, worried about  _ losing  _ people, worried about being left alone. But those feelings were always in the  _ background _ . Right here, right now, one could  _ see _ that little bit of concern on Roxas’s face. Why did he always show his worry around  _ Ven…? _

Was it because they looked so similar? Roxas’s body came from Ven’s. Was Roxas worried for his lookalike because Ven was his own mirror image? Did Roxas just not want to see someone like him get hurt, or make dumb choices?

...Light, thinking about all this was weird. Roxas sighed and turned his attention back to Ven. Oh, just in time! Lea patted Ventus on the back, and the blonde stood on his board, ready to push off and begin. Roxas held his breath, not noticing the small smirk Xion shot him. Lea backed away from Ventus, and the young man straightened up.

Suddenly Ventus glanced to Roxas, smiling wide. As Ven gave his lookalike a wink, Roxas felt his stomach flip. And then Ventus was off, kicking the ground to get momentum and skating down the concrete-

Only to fall off his board and tumble down the side of the skate bowl, letting out a loud yelp. 

“Shit-! Ven, you okay?!” Lea exclaimed as he skidded down the side of the bowl to reach Ventus. 

Roxas and Xion both cringed as they saw Ventus rolled up into a ball, both noticing a small red streak of blood on the concrete behind him. The two stood and made their way to their friends, Xion going to grab the skateboard that was rolling away first. Roxas went to Ven, dropping to his knees and helping the other blonde sit up. Ventus’s wrist glistened with red, a trail of dark blood trickling down his skin. 

“Oh,” Ventus muttered, cringing slightly. “Ow….”

Again, Lea asked Ven if he was alright. Ventus nodded slightly, mentioning that he might need a bandage. Ventus didn’t seem too upset, but there were a few cuts along his wrist.

“All right, be right back,” Lea said. “You watch over him, ‘kay Roxas?”

With that, Lea made his way out of the skate bowl. Roxas glanced around, catching Xion sitting where they had chatted, holding two skateboards in her hands. She gave Roxas a thumbs up, mouthing the words “talk to him”. Why…?

“You don’t have to watch after me, y’know,” Ventus said, looking the other way. “I, uh… sorry about that.”

“Sorry about what?” Roxas asked, before smirking mischievously. “Sorry about falling over, Mr. Pro-Skater?”

“Ugh, I must’ve looked like such a huge dork,” Ventus groaned, ready to put his head in his hands. However, as he bent his wrist, Ventus let out a small hiss. “Ow….”

Instantly Roxas grew concerned, grabbing Ven’s hand gently. It didn’t even strike Roxas that he was  _ holding Ven’s hand _ .  He sat still, observing the wound, then reached for his pocket and pulled out a napkin.

“Lea’s gonna be a moment,” Roxas muttered. “Want me to start getting you cleaned up?”

The younger blonde glanced up, only to see that Ventus’s face was about as red as his injury.  Vibrant  green eyes watched Roxas bashfully, a hint of shock in their luster. Roxas tilted his head.

“You okay…?

“Yeah, uh, f-fine,” Ventus whispered. “Yeah, do whatever, man….”

Roxas crooked an eyebrow before focusing his attention back on Ventus’s wrist. Wearing a small pout, Roxas began to dab at the wound, cleaning the blood that had begun dripping down Ventus’s freckled arm. Guess that was another difference the two of them had. Ventus had a lot more freckles than Roxas, and they were especially noticeable in the summer months.  It was kinda odd how Ventus and Roxas appeared to be mirror images of one another from a distance, but if you were to look closer, you’d notice those little differences that set them apart . Eventually Roxas wiped all the blood off of Ventus’s wrist, shoving the napkin back into his pocket. He could throw it out later.

“Y’alright?”

Ventus nodded. “Thanks…..”

He still seemed embarrassed, Roxas could tell. Of course anyone would feel a bit ashamed after bragging about their skill and then failing their first shot. Ventus kept his gaze on the distance until Roxas broke the silence.

“Y’know, skating isn’t easy for  _ anyone,” _ Roxas said. “First tries usually end up like yours did, if not worse.”

Ventus only murmured in response. Roxas sighed.

“Truth is, I had memories of skateboarding in the digital Twilight Town, but I’d never gotten actual practice with it. Kinda funny, the first day I actually got on a board…. it was like I knew  _ everything _ about skateboarding except for  _ how  _ to actually ride a board. Like knowing the answer to a math problem but not knowing the steps to get it,” Roxas explained. “So of course, I tried to rely on my memory to perform a kickflip, but low and behold, ended up falling down on my ass.”

And as expected, Ventus let out a laugh, his bashful demeanor evaporating. Roxas chuckled along with him, not really too ashamed to admit his faults if it could make Ventus feel better. After a few moments of laughter, Ventus calmed down, glancing to Roxas with curious eyes.

“Really?” Ventus asked after he’d caught his breath. “You’re so good! I can’t imagine a time where you weren’t amazing at skateboarding….”

“O-oh.” Roxas blushed slightly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Ah, well- it took a  _ lot _ of practice. Spent a while perfecting it, and I wouldn’t have gotten anywhere if my other friends didn’t teach me.”

Roxas was silent for a moment, words on the top of his tongue. He glanced to Ventus, noticing wide emerald eyes staring at him, light and inquisitive. Ventus leaned forwards slightly, and Roxas felt goosebumps prick his skin as a hint of Ventus’s breath brushed his neck.

“Maybe… I could teach you, sometime?” Roxas asked, not breaking eye contact. It was as if he was stuck in that gaze….

“Heh, I’d like that,” Ventus answered, smiling brightly. “With a teacher like you, maybe I wouldn’t fall on my ass again and look like a huge doofus….”

And it was at this that Roxas let out a barking guffaw, its suddenness causing Ventus to jump. However, Ventus began giggling too as Roxas continued to chuckle. Eventually Roxas’s volume went down, but he continued to laugh, eyes bright and voice light.

“Oh-!” Ventus gasped.

Roxas froze, a blush rising to his cheeks. He glanced at Ventus, a touch nervous, his chuckles dying down into smaller giggles.

“Something wrong…?”

“Sorry, just-“ Ventus chuckled. He shook his head, still smiling, and glanced at Roxas with bright eyes. “It’s just…”

Ventus sighed, turning back to the distance. Roxas could’ve sworn he noticed the other boy blush, and was again reminded of how his “doppelgänger” wasn’t a  _ true _ mirror image of himself…..

“You have a nice laugh, Roxas.”


	2. Sleep- Day Two

It was one of  _ those _ nights again. The nights where sleep seemed more like a  _ permanent  _ thing, a promise of being swallowed up by the darkness of night and waking up to find yourself trapped in a body that wasn’t yours. Ventus had those nights a lot since he’d first Woke Up from his time spent in Sora’s Heart. Right now (like always) he was laying in bed, gritting his teeth and fighting back tears. His eyes stung from being so  _ open _ , as Ventus was scared that if he blinked he might not open his eyes again. Ventus was scared that if he fell asleep he might fall  _ Asleep _ and not wake up.

Yet now, if Ventus were to fall Asleep again, he wouldn’t have a Sanctuary to return to.

Sora was gone.

That’s what started this whole mess of… anxiety. Ventus had begun thinking of Sora and where he was, fearing that he might’ve been a Heart separated from his body, too. What if Sora had called out to Ven, asking for help? Yet Ventus… he hadn’t heard him. Ventus hadn’t heard him call, which either meant Sora was  _ gone gone _ or that Sora had sought for help and Ventus didn’t give him it.

Both of those thoughts seemed horrible.

Ventus sighed, clutching his pillow close. He grabbed his phone, turning it on and staring at the lock screen blankly. A picture of Ventus with Terra and Aqua lit up on the device. His family.

The same people he’d lose if he were to sleep another decade.

Ventus felt sick to his stomach. He was so  _ tired  _ yet so  _ awake _ at the same time. Fear pulsed through his veins, anxiety buzzed in his skull, and the blonde couldn’t help but tremble.Ventus didn’t know what to do, how to stop this feeling of anxiety dragging down at his heart, drowning him and filling his lungs and chest and head and-

All he knew was that he was not going to allow himself to fall asleep.

‘ _ Just… look at your phone _ .’ Ventus thought. He needed to focus on something else, anything other than sleeping or worrying. Even scrolling through social media still didn’t help Ventus stray away from that horrible feeling. Light, why couldn’t he just calm down?

“Ventus…?”

Ventus whipped his head to the side, emerald gaze lying upon the newcomer. A form shrouded in darkness, but the light of Ventus’s Gummiphone was enough to reveal their identity; Roxas. 

“Why aren’t you asleep?” The other boy said, brushing a hand through his dark blonde hair. 

“I-I’m not tired,” Ventus lied, setting his phone down and relying on the moon's pale light to see the boy ahead of him. “Just… can’t get to sleep, I guess.”

“That makes two of us,” Roxas said with a yawn. “But… I feel like there’s… somethin’ you’re not telling me.”

Roxas looked tired. He definitely had just woken up, and his movements were rather slow and sloppy.  _ Guess he’s having trouble sleeping away from home,  _ Ventus thought to himself. Their only reason for being on the same World now was that Roxas and his friends needed to spend the night on the Land of Departure while trying to find clues as to where Sora disappeared. Roxas was probably struggling to adjust to the guest room…..

“Move over,” Roxas said simply, startling Ventus out of his thoughts.

“What?”

“Move over.”

Still a little surprised, Ventus obliged. Roxas gave a tired yawn and climbed into the bed, inching closer to Ventus as the other boy scooted over. When Roxas got both feet on the bed he collapsed on top of the blankets, not even bothering to wrap himself up. Instead he lay next to Ven.

“Aren’t you cold?”

“Nah,” Roxas answered, and much to Ventus’s surprise, he cuddled closer, putting a leg on top of the blankets where Ven’s was. “I like it like this.”

Did Roxas like the temperature, or-? Before Ventus could even figure that out, Roxas wrapped his arm around Ventus’s shoulder. Face heating up from the near-stranger’s touch, Ventus was tempted to worm away. In response, Roxas grabbed him a little tighter.

“Nope,” Roxas mumbled into his pillow. “Not going anywhere. You are going to get some well deserved sleep.”

...Was it that obvious that Ventus was trying to avoid falling asleep? Could Roxas tell his look alike had been forcing himself awake for far too long?

“I didn’t take you for the snuggly type, Roxas,” Ventus teased, though he struggled to hide his slight embarrassment. Roxas had never been this friendly with him before...

“I’m not. You… you’re just different, I guess,” Roxas mumbled. “You… you and Xion, and… and him.”

...Sora.

“Oh.”

“... But I guess… I guess it’s nice to- sometimes. I…” Roxas was struggling to say what he meant, a little embarrassed to admit that even he liked to cuddle occasionally. “Ah, nevermind. Shut up and go to sleep, Ventus.”

Ventus didn’t really know how he could argue with that, though he felt his heart fall a little when Roxas used his full name. Had the other boy ever called him ‘Ven?’ What did it mean that they were…  _ together _ like this, but Roxas was still calling Ven by his full name…?

“Why-“

“Because I know you, and I know you’re not getting enough sleep,” Roxas stated, interrupting Ventus before the other blonde could even finish his statement. “I mean, it’s been obvious since we’ve got here. You look  _ miserable _ .”

“Oh, wow, thanks for that,” Ventus scoffed. “You flatter me.”

“Stop being sassy. That’s my thing,” Roxas mumbled. “I mean… have you seen yourself? You look tired. I’m surprised Terra and Aqua haven’t forced you to bed early, but I guess you’re just too stubborn.”

Again, Ventus scoffed and rolled his eyes, but this time there was no energy to either. It was all rather forced, this annoyed facade. In reality Ventus was just  _ tired _ like Roxas had said, squirming uncomfortably in the other boy’s arms.

“...So no matter what I say, you’re not gonna leave, are ya?”

“Nope,” Roxas answered. “‘Cus I’m just as stubborn as you are, Ventus….”

Roxas lazily let a hand drift onto Ven’s head, absentmindedly tracing his fingers through the other’s hair. Ventus felt his breath hitch  _ -why was he doing this and why did Ven like it- _ but didn’t argue. Roxas continued to play with his hair, then slowly brought his hand to Ven’s cheek. Ventus’s heart paced faster and the older boy held his breath, eyes wide as he stared at his doppelgänger.

Ventus was met with closed eyes and a relaxed expression. It seemed the other boy was on his way to sleeping. After a minute, Ventus had no choice but to resign to his fate. There was not a chance that he could get up without alerting Roxas. And so, Ventus sighed, relaxing best he could. Guess he’d just stay awake all night, watching his lookalike sleep.

Yes, Ventus was aware of how creepy that sounded, but it was impossible  _ not _ to see Roxas, as the younger boy had put himself in Ventus’s arms. So, Ventus saw every little movement.  Roxas’s breath tickled Ventus’s neck, leaving goosebumps on Ven’s skin. Yet as time passed, Ventus found himself listening to his breath, matching his own breathing to Roxas’s.

That anxious feeling from before… it had settled. Ventus wasn’t sure  _ why _ ; it wasn’t as if his problem had been solved. Yet the fear was less suffocating, the uncertainty of the situation less daunting. Maybe Ventus would fall asleep for another decade, or maybe… he  _ wouldn’t _ . Why was being in Roxas’s arms… reassuring him like this? Grounding him to the present? Right now the ‘what ifs’ seemed to be  _ just  _ ‘what ifs’, and not potential outcomes. How… odd.

“Go to sleep, Ventus.”

“...You’re still awake?”

“Barely. C’mon… close your eyes, at least.”

“Hooooow do you know they  _ aren’t  _ closed?”

“Because Nobodies can see through their eyelids. I know your eyes are still open.”

“Really?!”

“No,” Roxas said, deadpan. “I just  _ know  _ you aren’t trying to get to sleep. Now, close your eyes.”

With that demand, Roxas’s grip on Ven tightened slightly. The younger blond traced a hand along the back of Ven’s neck, tickling Ventus slightly and causing goosebumps to prick at Ven’s skin. Light… Roxas must be more tired than he let on. Ventus didn’t think he’d be so cuddly if he were fully awake, but right now, Roxas was being more touchy than Ventus had ever seen him. And yet…..

Ventus found himself leaning into the touch.

Ven was enjoying the feel of Roxas’s breath grace his skin, feeling the sensation of a feather-light touch move along his neck. Roxas started tracing in circles, as if trying to massage or tickle Ventus a bit. The older blonde let out a shaky breath, feeling a weight lifted off his shoulders as he exhaled. In response, Roxas ran a hand through Ven’s hair, scratching gently.

“...Xion likes it when I play with her hair,” Roxas mumbled. “Helps her get to sleep.”

Ah. Made sense, given how close Roxas and Xion were, that he’d try to comfort her like this. But the fact that he was also willing to do so for Ventus, someone he’d only known for a few months, left Ventus curious. He… definitely wasn’t as important to Roxas as Xion was, right?

“You like it too, huh-?”

“Huh?”

“I mean, you’re not tellin’ me to stop,” Roxas said, and Ventus could practically hear the smirk on his face.  “You’re practically purring.” 

Ventus felt his cheeks heat up a bit and he thought to argue. However any attempts at arguing were lost as Roxas came to a stop, lazily bringing his hands back to his own sides. Ventus couldn’t stop himself from giving the tiniest mumble of protest. Seemed like Roxas was getting a little too tired to continue.

Ventus sighed.

. . .

And then there was silence.

And it was deafening.

In an instant, all that comfort that had come from Roxas’s touch was replaced by that rush of anxiety. Ventus found himself staring at Roxas, watching him breathe, wanting the other boy to pet through his hair again. Anything to get this anxiety to settle. He couldn't let Roxas know what was causing him so much fear, right…? He’d say Ventus was being too anxious, or that he was wasting time thinking about unlikely events. He’d tell Ventus he was silly and desperate for wanting that touch again….

. . .

“Roxas?”

“Mhmm?”

“What if I-what if I don’t wake up?”

The words left Ventus’s mouth with a shudder, ice cold and glass thin, too delicate to be anything more than a whisper. Yet Roxas had heard him and answered with a voice as strong and bright as the sun.

“...Then we’ll save you.”

“...We?”

“Course… course. We’re friends, all of us,” Roxas mumbled. “Xion and I, we won’t let you fall. We were roommates, after all. Inside  _ his _ Heart...Yeah. No one gets left behind. Obama or whatever it is Stitch says.” 

“Ohana?” Ventus asked with a chuckle. “That’s what you mean, right?”

“Yeah, yeah… Now pipe down and close your eyes. I’m tired….”

. . .

“Can I- would you- um, I-”

Ventus’s stuttering was interrupted by a small gasp as Roxas’s hand traced his cheek. The younger blonde’s eyes fluttered open lazily, blue hues staring into Ven’s green gaze, a gentle look meeting him. Roxas gave him a small smile, brushing a hand through his hair.

“Now, close your eyes…”

With a shaky sigh, Ventus obeyed. Roxas gently scratched through curly blonde locks, humming gently until he was certain Ventus would keep his eyes closed. Chest feeling light, Ventus sighed.

“Goodnight, Roxas…”

“Goodnight, Ven.”

  
  
  



	3. Coat- Day Three

Another sneeze from down the hall snatched Ven’s attention away from the television. He shut it off and got to his feet, sighing lightly. The little apartment Lea, Isa, Xion, and Roxas were living in was hardly ever quiet, but with Ventus and Roxas being the only two in there today, it was rather hushed….

Save for the occasional hacking and sneezing from Roxas’s bedroom. 

Without another second of hesitation, Ventus made his way to the other blonde’s bedroom, sliding the door open and looking at the bedridden boy with slightly sorrowful eyes.

“Hey, Rox… how’re you feelin’?”

Ven’s answer came in the form of another sneeze. However, Roxas pushed himself up from the bed, sitting up best he could and looking to Ventus. He opened his mouth to speak, but his voice died in his throat as he sneezed once more.

“Still got that nasty cold….” Ventus muttered. “Alright, what can I do for ya?”

Roxas shook his head. “‘M fine… just need to get outta bed, that’s all….”

“...Roxas. You’re not fine,” Ventus said sternly, closing the door behind him and walking closer to his friend. “You’re  _ sick _ and you need rest. I don’t care if the Organization made you work whenever you had a cold… here, things are different. If you’re sick  _ I’m _ gonna take care of you.”

Roxas groaned, shaking his head. Before he could speak he had another coughing fit, and just the sight of seeing his friend wheezing broke Ventus’s heart. Ventus walked up to Roxas’s side, a pleading look in his eyes. 

“Roxas… please? You’ll get better sooner if you just rest,” Ventus said gently. “I wanna help ya, y’know? Aaaaand it’d be easier for me if you tried to relax, okay?”

It seemed that was enough to get Roxas to pause. The younger blonde struggled for something to say in an attempt to argue back, but as Ventus tilted his head and continued to give Roxas that begging stare, the sick boy submitted, falling back into bed. Ventus smiled proudly, earning him an eye roll from Roxas.

“...Don’t like sleepin’ all day,” Roxas mumbled, pouting slightly. “...Gotta do somethin’....”

“Maaaaaaybeeee…. you could play a video game?” Ventus asked. “Oh! Or watch a movie, read a book….”

Roxas nodded. “Game sounds good, but….”

Both boys went silent once met with the rumble of Roxas’s stomach. 

“Hungry, huh?” Ventus chuckled, earning him a small groan from his companion. “Alright, just give me a minut-“

“No, no,” Roxas said, almost sitting back up. However, a glare from Ventus caused him to freeze.

“You are  _ resting _ ,” Ventus said sternly. 

“But I’m fine! It’s not like I can’t cook for myself.” 

Yet it was clear Ventus was set on helping his ill friend. Roxas sighed, defeated, relaxing best he could in bed. Ventus hummed, pleased.

“I’m gonna get ya some soup, ‘kay buddy?” Ventus said softly. He gave Roxas’s shoulder a gentle squeeze before making his way out of the room, pausing by the door for a second to glance back. “Rest, alright? I’ll be back in a second….”

And with that, Ventus closed the door.

———————————

It was raining a few nights before.

Maybe half a week before Roxas was hit by the cold  _ badly _ , and it was pretty clear this night was the cause. Windy and cold, Ventus almost regretted going out to the movie theater that night. But he’d hardly even been to a movie theater, and it had been so sunny out when they had arrived, so seeing a movie with Roxas  (as friends, of course, nothing  _ more _ ) was totally enjoyable. Ventus wouldn’t trade that experience for anything,  _ but  _ it was hard to deny that the weather had taken a turn for the worse.

Ventus held onto himself, hugging his arms tight as he shivered. Each drop of water that hit him left a chilling trail along his stone cold skin, freezing him to the bone. The blonde trembled. He and Roxas had tried to take shelter in the theater, but they’d been kicked out around closing time. Now they were standing on the sidewalk, waiting for Lea to pull up in his new car. They had a bit of roof above them to keep from getting soaked, but not enough to block out the cold.

“You good, Ven?” Roxas asked. He was using Ventus’s nickname now, ever since that night where they… talked about Sora and sleeping and never waking up. “You look like a popsicle. You’re all blue.”

Ventus assumed Roxas was teasing him and stuck out his tongue. However, the look in Roxas’s eyes was of utter concern. The younger blonde flashed Ventus a worried look. He was wearing an outfit much more suited for chilly weather (a hoodie sporting some ‘alternative rock’ band or whatever) while Ventus was wearing short sleeves and shorts. 

“You’re freezing, Ventus….”

“I-I’m f-f-f-fine!” Ventus lied, teeth chattering. Last thing he wanted to do was ruin Roxas’s night. 

However he was met by a disbelieving sigh. A moment later, Roxas was taking off his hoodie and handing it to Ventus, revealing his long sleeved shirt. Roxas didn’t shiver in the rain at all, even without his second layer. Ventus blinked up at him, but took the hoodie and threw it on.

“Th-th-th-th-thanks….”

….Still wasn’t enough. Ventus was shivering, legs bare. Roxas gave a small pout as he thought of another solution. 

“I-It’s okay Rox, don’t stress out over it. Lea’ll be here soon, I-I c-c-can wait-“

There was a sudden flash as Roxas summoned something to his hands. Ventus’s eyes went wide as a long, black, leather cloak materialized in Roxas’s arms. With a large sweep, the coat was out on display. The perfect length to cover Ven from head to toe. 

A Black Coat. Ventus had mostly seen Lea and members of the Real Organization XIII wear them. He’d seen Roxas wearing it the day they met, but he hadn’t seen it since. He kinda assumed the boy had gotten rid of it. Ventus was about to say something (he wasn’t quite sure  _ what _ ) but Roxas’s voice broke him off.

“...This coat is kinda special,” Roxas said. “You’ve probably heard about it, but…. it’s supposed to protect you from Darkness.”

“Whenever you wear it, the shadow’s whispers can’t get to you. It’s not meant to protect you from the rain, but I’m sure there’s not harm in using it,” Roxas explained, handing the coat to Ventus. “Sure looks like you could use this about now.”

Ventus looked up to Roxas with hesitant eyes, brow slightly furrowed. But as he saw Roxas smile graciously, he gave a small nod and took the coat in his hands. In an instant Ventus had thrown the coat onto himself, feeling one final cold chill before warmth set in. He threw the hood on before looking at Roxas.

“Thanks,” Ventus said with a large grin. “Feelin’ a lot better now.”

“No problem,” Roxas said. “And I still feel perfectly fine. Guess I’m a bit more cold-tolerant than you, huh~?”

And then Roxas sneezed. 

———————

In the present, Roxas sipped his soup, giving a content hum.

“Thanks Ven…” he said. “Tastes pretty good….”

“All I did was heat it up. Isa’s the one who made it,” Ventus chuckled. “But thanks, glad someone here appreciates my skill with a microwave.”

Ventus was seated at Roxas’s desk, leaning back in the chair with his shoes kicked off. Might as well relax and keep Roxas company. Nothing good was on tv anyways, but regardless, Roxas refused to  _ sleep _ and Ventus knew that if he didn’t keep his doppelgänger company, he’d end up getting up and probably like, try and do chores or whatever Roxas thought he had to do despite being sick. But he  _ was sick  _ and Ven wouldn’t let him leave this room! Not for a second. Anything Roxas needed, Ventus would get for him.

Ventus gave a determined nod to himself, sitting straighter and watching Roxas eat away at his soup. 

“...Anythin’ else I can do for ya?” Ventus asked, tilting his head to the side. He offered Roxas a small smile, not noticing how the younger blonde blushed at the gesture. 

“‘M good,” Roxas answered, a bit awkwardly. “Just… drinkin’ my soup….”

A moment of silence.

“Aaaaaaaare you sure you’re  _ drinking _ it? Ooooor are ya eatin’ it-?”

“No. No Ven, we are  _ not _ having this conversation  _ again _ ,” Roxas groaned, exasperated. 

“I’m just sayin’, soup is like, a liquid, soooooo you drink it, right? But at the same time it’s like, a meal, and it has food in it, soooooooo are you really  _ just drinking it _ ?”

Roxas rolled his eyes. “Maybe your brain is a liquid.”

Ventus pouted.

“Ven soup….” Roxas chuckled, giving a sniff. Light he sounded stuffy. But he smiled, shaking his head. “Venoup.”

“Venoup?”

“Yeah. Ven soup. Venoup,” Roxas laughed.

Ventus broke into a wide grin, a small part of him enjoying the way Roxas’s filter seemed to disappear when he was sick. It was funny, hearing him mumble things without thinking too hard.

“Does being sick always make your brain this fuzzy…?” Roxas murmured. “...Guess that’s why I always felt so bad during those missions with the Organization….”

At this, Ventus tilted his head, brows furrowed. Yet he couldn’t ask what Roxas meant, because suddenly Roxas was crying, silent tears dripping down his cheeks. Ventus sat up, panicked.

“Roxas!?” Ven gasped. “Are you okay?”

Despite his tears, Roxas chuckled. “‘M fine, ‘m fine, just….”

Ventus stayed hushed. He watched as Roxas sipped a spoonful of soup before setting the bowl down. Roxas sniffed, looking up to Ventus with soft, teary eyes and a gentle smile.

“No one’s ever done this for me, before….”

After saying those words, Roxas chuckled.

“Axel and Xion were never allowed to do this stuff for me when I was sick. Always forced on missions, all three of us, even when one of us was ill,” Roxas explained. “An’ my fake memories of Twilight Town… Well, people took care of me in those, but….”

Sorrow glistened in Roxas’s eyes. He glanced away, looking towards the window. Suddenly the boy looked a lot younger than he really was, a bit smaller than Ventus knew him to be. Roxas gave a shaky sigh, closing his eyes as he continued to speak.

“...That stuff never happened. Not even in the simulation, I- it was all fake. Programmed into my head….”

The younger blonde paused, eyes flashing open. In the light of the sunset, Roxas’s hair seemed to turn a brilliant orange hue, and his face was framed in light. Yet there were shadows in his eyes, a chill in his voice, and even with that hint of congestion, when Roxas spoke his pain was clear. He looked to Ventus, trembling slightly, the words tumbling out of his mouth shakily.

“Light, Ven, I was  _ brainwashed _ .”

Ventus’s heart fell as he saw the hurt in Roxas’s eyes. He knew this couldn’t have been the first time Roxas had realized this, but maybe he was finally seeing his time in data-Twilight Town in a new light. The younger boy shuddered, wrapping his arms around himself. 

“My life there, in the simulation… it was all  _ fake _ , all-all shoved into my head,” Roxas said, stumbling over his words a bit. Seemed him being sick was still making it a bit hard to think straight. “Everything I did, everyone I met… it was all pretend, it never happened, and it seems so distant-!”

Ventus shot up to his feet as he heard a hint of panic in Roxas’s voice, walking to his bedside. Roxas shook his head, closing his eyes tight. His voice sounded so small and broken, and with his runny nose he couldn’t stop sniffing.

“My life… never happened. I-I had a mom and I don’t remember her face. I had teachers and school and homework but I don’t know what classes I went to or what I learned, yet there’s  _ memories _ here, of my first time riding a skateboard, or that time Hayner shoved me into the lake- and then there’s this, just… feeling that if I was sick, someone would take care of me. Maybe it was my mom or my friends, but I can’t remember. Because it never happened, it was just-just a feeling someone shoved into my head. Made me think that I’d been sick in the past and got taken care of, and-and-“

Roxas’s rambling came to a sharp halt as Ventus pulled him into a hug. Roxas was surprised at first, eyes wide and breath hitched. But it didn’t take long for Roxas to grip Ventus back, a sob forcing its way out of his throat. 

“Ugh, I really am pathetic, huh-?”

“You’re not, Roxas,” Ventus said gently, holding his friend close. “You’ve been through a lot, yeah? It’s okay to be upset.”

Ventus continued to cling to Roxas, rubbing his back gently. It wasn’t long before Roxas gave up on holding his tears back, let out a massive sob, and buried his face into his friend’s neck. Ventus didn’t care if his shirt got all covered in tears, snot, or spit, he just wanted to get Roxas to cry all his tears out. He was sick for Light’s sake, and Ventus wanted to be there for him. It took a while, but eventually the tears died down and were replaced by loud sniffles. Other than that, the room was quiet.

. . .

And the silence was broken for four soft words.

“This is real, right….?”

Didn’t take much thought to realize what Roxas was saying. Ventus felt his heart fall, and he hugged Roxas tighter. Ventus’s voice was a gentle and warm whisper, full of yearning. Yearning for Roxas to feel better.

“It’s real, I promise. You can feel me, can’t you…?”

“Yeah, but I could-could feel in the data-world too.”

There wasn’t a way Ventus could think of to prove this was real, even though he  _ knew _ it was. The older blonde sighed, giving Roxas another tight squeeze before pulling away. He rested a hand on his lookalike’s shoulder, gazing into those brilliant blue eyes of his. 

“Give me a moment,” Ventus said. “I’ve got something for you….”

Ventus walked out of the room, returning to the couch by the television where he’d been spending most of his time. He’d brought a backpack full of stuff from home, the necessities for if he ended up sleeping over. He unzipped and pulled out a brightly colored windbreaker. It was a mess of greens, pinks, and yellows, but it was his favorite and it was comfortable. Ventus quickly returned to Roxas’s room, holding the jacket in his arms. The sick blonde looked up to Ven, a touch confused, but Ventus held the jacket out to him.

“Y’know, this coat is  _ pretty _ special,” Ventus said. “You probably  _ haven’t _ heard about it, but…. it’s supposed to protect you from lonely thoughts.”

Ventus set the coat down on a chair. 

“Whenever you wear it, you’ll know someone out there really cares about you. It’s not meant to help heal you when you’re sick, but who knows? Maybe… having this coat will help you get better faster, ‘cause you’ll be less lonely.”

Ventus offered Roxas a small smile.

“You can keep it, if you’d like. I know it’s not your style, buuuuuuuuut it’s one of my favorites, aaaaaand it makes me feel happy. So I wanna share that happiness with you.”

Roxas looked up at Ventus with curious eyes. 

“Really…?”

“Of course!” 

Roxas started at the coat, smiling slightly. He glanced to Ventus with brilliant blue eyes, filled with gratitude and warmth. He still sounded congested when he spoke, but Roxas sounded so very, very warm and gentle.

“Thanks, Ven.”

Ventus smiled in response, feeling light in his chest. If his jacket was enough to make Roxas smile this brightly….

And then Ventus sneezed.

For a second, both boys just stared at one another. Then Roxas began to laugh, and even with all the stuffiness and congestion it was such a beautiful, beautiful laugh, and Ventus found his heart fluttering for some reason or another.

“Aww, did I- did I get you sick?” Roxas asked, genuinely apologetic yet still finding the situation a bit funny. “Sorry… but, guess this means I’ve gotta take care of you now?”

Ventus’s face flushed, and the boy glanced away. Roxas continued to giggle, shaking his head as Ventus opened his mouth to say “but-“.

“No buts,” Roxas said. “You made sure to take care of me, so the second I’m better, I’m making you bowls of soup and forcing you to stay in bed. No work for you, Ven…. you gotta rest.”

And it was on that note that Ventus laughed too.

With Roxas taking care of him, Ventus knew he’d heal fast.


	4. Creation- Day Four

Roxas had always considered himself to be peculiar. Even without Keyblades and World-hopping, Roxas was on the weird side of “normal”. Not always focused on current trends, not talkative or outgoing. Even in his small friend group, Roxas would keep to himself. Most of his knowledge of Twilight Town was literally  _ put into him  _ by D.I.Z., a result of being placed in data Twilight Town and being given fake memories. Yeah, Roxas was odd, he knew that.

So, the thing with Ven was that he was even weirder than Roxas.

Raised secluded on a small World with only a family of two “siblings” and a Master, Ventus was naive to the outside Worlds. He didn’t know modern movies or games, his only knowledge of either medium being vastly out of date finds Master Eraqus had brought home after personal missions. Even then Ventus was mostly focused on training, so his time was mostly spent on his Master’s strict schedule. Ventus had a childhood, but it was closed off from other Worlds and people. Even though Roxas and Xion had been stuck in the Organization, they at least got to see parts of the ‘real world’ on their missions. Ventus, meanwhile, was curious and naive. 

And Roxas found that oddly endearing.

Ventus was fascinated with Gummiphones. The photography options especially. Seemed he’d never seen a phone while living with Master Eraqus, and as it turned out, most of the cameras he’d seen were rather old. It was funny how intrigued Ventus was by “modern” tech, despite the fact he seemed like such a normal teenager. Roxas was glad the two of them were friends, even if Ventus was on the strange side.

Sometimes Ven found it hard to be… motivated. That 12 year nap had really messed around with his head. But he kept trying to find little things to keep him inspired. One of these things was sending Roxas pictures of minor accomplishments. Ven was embarrassed at first, worried it was a bit silly to send Roxas so many pictures, but Roxas was genuinely intrigued by all the photos he sent. Sometimes Ven would go to other Worlds and send Roxas pictures from there. Other times Ven would just send pictures with silly captions, just trying to make Roxas laugh. And most often he succeeded. 

This became routine for the two of them, and Roxas began becoming incredibly excited for every photo Ven sent. Ven had been working hard to get back into the swing of training and was frequently sending Roxas pictures from his sessions. Usually they were blurry pictures of Terra and Aqua in combat, but more recently Ven had started taking pictures of the sunrise. 

“ _ It’s been so hard for me to get out of bed these past few mornings _ ,” Ven has once admitted over text. “ _ But I’m glad I did! The sunrise today was so pretty…. _ ”

Reading Ven say stuff like that… it put a smile on Roxas’s face, but he couldn’t guess why.

Roxas received a text one day. From Ven. Probably a pic from training, as usual.

But oddly enough… there was no picture attached.

Ven: “ _ Wait Furbys look different now??? _ ”

...What? 

Okay, so Roxas knew what a Furby was, and evidently, Ven did, too. Again, Ven was peculiar. Sometimes he’d be surprised from technology from the 80s, other times he’d recognize tech from the early 2000s. Seemed having a World hopping Master lead to being introduced to a mismatch of… stuff. 

Roxas: “ _ Uhhhh I guess???” _

Ventus sent a picture. It was a bit blurry, but from what Roxas could see, it appeared to be a bunch of fabric, some cotton, and a few boxes. Along with the photo came one… oddly ominous text.

Ven: “ _ Roxas _ .  _ I am going to give birth to our son. _ ” 

... _ What? _

Okay. 

Roxas: “ _ Ven what the fuck does that mean??? _ ”

Ven: “ _ You’ll see. : ) “ _

Roxas spent the next few minutes staring at the ceiling, a feeling between confusion and dread bubbling inside him.

\-------------

“Roxas!”

Roxas snapped up from his laptop and looked towards his bedroom door, just in time to see Ventus enter Roxas’s room in an explosion of rainbows and fabrics. The bags Ventus held in his arms were bursting at the seams, full of ribbons, glue sticks, glitter, colorful clothes, and boxes of  _ something. _ The color Ventus held in his arms was only matched by the bright smile on his face, the rosy red of his cheeks, the brilliant emerald of his eyes, the bright yellow of his shoulder length hair. 

. . . Ugh. There’s that fluttering in Roxas’s chest again. He swallowed it away and closed his laptop, setting it aside and sitting up in his desk chair. It swiveled around to face Ventus, who was still wearing that dopey grin as he set his bags on Roxas’s bed. 

“Alright, what are you up to?” Roxas asked, raising a brow.

Ventus gave a giddy giggle, rolling his eyes before he began to rustle through his bags and sort through everything. Damn, was that a sewing machine? And what was in that last box-

Oh. A Furby. One of the older looking ones rather than the ones being produced now.

“Found it online!” Ventus answered as though reading Roxas’s mind. “Cute, huh?”

...Was it too late for Roxas to say Furbies creep him out? Because they do. A lot.

“Oooookay, what’s all this about?” Roxas asked as he came up to the bed, poking at a roll of fluffy white fabric. “...Wait. Is this about… “giving birth to our son”, or whatever you texted me….?”

Ventus nodded eagerly, grinning wide. However, no other answer came, and suddenly Ventus shoved a roll of fabric into Roxas’s arms. The younger boy yelped.

“Hold still, will ya?” Ventus said as he pulled out a ruler and pen. He pulled at the fabric in Roxas’s arms, measuring and leaving a mark around the middle. In an instant he snatched the cloth back, cutting it in half and leaving Roxas confused as all hell.

“Okay, okay, hold on! What are you doing?” Roxas asked sternly, grabbing Ven’s wrist. “What is all… this?”

“We’re making an Oddbody Furby!”

Now Roxas was even more confused.

“Wait,  _ ‘we’ _ ? I didn’t sign up for this! Especially since I have no clue what  _ this-“  _ Roxas motioned to the mess on his bed, “-even is!”

“I told ya! Oddbody Furby,” Ventus said nonchalantly, folding the frantic in his arms. He noticed Roxas’s confused expression and tutted, shaking his head slightly. A second later Ventus had his phone out, researching something on Moogle Search Engine.

Suddenly Ven’s phone was thrust up to Roxas’s face.

“See?”

. . . Okay what the fuck was that picture.

On Ventus’s phone screen there was an image of… possibly the most terrifying stuffed animal Roxas had seen. The face of a Furby removed from its body and sewn onto a 6 foot tube of stuffed fabric. A giant Furby  _ worm _ .

“What the fuck.”

“Hey, language!” Ventus chided, earning him an eye roll from his look alike. “This is an Oddbody Furby! It’s a Long Furby, see?”

Ventus shoved his phone back into his pocket and turned to the art supplies. He began opening up the box with the sewing machine, humming a soft little tune. Roxas, meanwhile, just stared in shock. Okay, so this was happening. Out of the blue, Ventus had decided to take over Roxas’s bedroom for arts and crafts time.

And after a second of milling that phrase around in his head, Roxas found that emotion of confusion being replaced by a flattered feeling.  Ventus had come to him instead of going home to Terra and Aqua. Even if the visit was unexpected, it was still  _ Ventus _ visiting, and that fact alone brought a small smile to Roxas’s face. Okay, things were starting to make sense now that they had slowed down. Roxas laughed and shook his head, walking over to Ventus.

“Alright then…,” Roxas said. “We’re making this together, right? What do you need me to do?”

———

The construction of Lord Fluffyton Ven Junior the First took six exhausting, glitter-glue filled hours. Ventus took care of most of the sewing of the seven foot long body (he had learned a lot about sewing from Cinderella’s mice friends) while Roxas was incharge of making decorations. Tiny glow in the dark stars were attached to the Oddbody Furby’s ‘skin’ with a thick layer of fabric glue, and glittery ‘freckles’ were spread sporadically on the plush creature. Ventus spent a long time sewing together it’s black and white checkered ‘tummy’, then added stripes of blue and green fur to it’s back. When the creation was near completion, it was given a feathery tail.

“Looking good,” Roxas said with a smile. As creepy as Furbies were, he couldn’t deny how impressive it was that Ventus had just  _ made  _ this. Even if Roxas had helped, it was Ventus who had really taken charge. “You did a great job, Ven.”

“He’s not finished yet!” Ventus added. “We’ve gotta give him a heart!”

Roxas blinked, tilting his head in confusion. His silent question was answered when Ventus lifted the plush creature up and motioned to a small spot on its “chest”. A heart was outlined in pen.

“I thought since we both worked on him, we should each sew half a heart here!” Ventus said with a light laugh. “Thinking I could do a green half and you could do blue. That fine with you?”

While Roxas was a tad bit worried about messing up, he understood the sentiment. 

“Alright. I’ll do my best, but….” Roxas bit his lip. “I’m not as crafty as you.”

“Aww, don’t say that. I’ll help ya!”

And without warning, Ventus grabbed Roxas’s hands, causing the younger boy to blush. A threaded needle and scrap of fabric was given to him, but Ventus’s hands lingered, dragging Roxas’s towards the plush. It wasn’t until he was touching the fabric that Roxas managed to recover from his surprise. Ventus continued to hold the outside of Roxas’s hand, awkwardly trying to hold the needle between his own fingers as well. Roxas scowled in confusion.

“What are you doing?”

“Teaching you to sew!” Ventus said. “I’ll guide your hands.”

“I don’t think this is how you’re supposed to teach me,” Roxas laughed. “We can’t both sew at the same time!”

“Fine, fine, I’ll just talk you through it,” Ventus chuckled, letting go of Roxas’s hands. “Alright, so first…”

It took a bit of explaining on Ven's part, but eventually Roxas was confident enough to start sewing the blue scrap of cloth into the Long Furby’s ‘chest’. After a few minutes (and a few pricked fingers that Ventus had to bandage up) it seemed the task was completed. Roxas cut the thread in his hands, then held the toy up to admire his work.

There it was. One blue half of a heart, a tad bit crooked but secure. Ventus gave a satisfied nod before taking the Long Furby and sewing his half of the heart. He was much quicker and surprisingly neat. Roxas had expected Ventus to be a bit messier, but as it turned out, the older blonde became rather focused while working with needle and thread. He stuck his tongue out slightly as he worked, looking rather  _ cute _ -

_ Wait, what _ ?

Did Roxas just… call Ventus cute? The boy blinked, miling over what he’d just thought. He hadn’t said anything aloud, but it was still odd that he’d thought Ventus looked  _ cute… _

That was normal, right? To think your friend was cute?

This train of thought came to a harsh stop as Ventus let out an excited yelp.

“He’s here!” Ventus cheered, lifting the creation up. “Lord Fluffyton Seasalt Ven Junior the First! Or, Seasalt for short.”

Roxas paused, squinting at Ventus.

“....Seasalt?” Roxas asked as he noticed the change in name. “Thought he was just Lord Fluffyton Ven Junior.”

“-The First,” Ventus added.

“Yeah. Where’d ‘Seasalt’ come from?”

“Well, since we  _ both  _ made him, I thought we should both have a little bit of ourselves in his name. Ven Junior for me, and Seasalt for you,” Ventus explained

“But you  _ hate  _ Seasalt ice cream!”

“Buuuuuut you don’t,” Ventus said. “And I like you, so if you like Seasalt… I think that should be a part of our son’s name! Unless you have a different suggestion.”

Roxas blinked, brow furrowing slightly. After a moment of thought however, the young man laughed.

“It’s perfect, Ventus,” Roxas said. “Just perfect.”

And with that, Lord Fluffyton Seasalt Ven Junior the First was officially a part of whatever weird family Roxas and Ventus had created.

  
  
  



	5. “It’s Funny...”- Day Five

“It’s funny, suddenly I feel like I don’t know myself at all…”

As he finishes speaking, the flower in Ventus’s hand seems to wilt a little more. A bird of paradise, that’s what it was called. But who cares about names and flowers when Ventus was standing still, crying softly? Roxas reaches out a hand to wipe Ven’s tears away without a second thought. When Ventus looks up at him his eyes are glistening with sorrow.

Before Ventus could say another word, Roxas pulls him into a hug, burying his face in the other boy’s neck.

Ventus doesn’t pull away.

  



End file.
